This invention relates to dental cleaning devices and more particularly to a multifunction dental cleaning device capable of flossing and brushing teeth and the spaces between teeth from a variety of angles and directions.
Devices for brushing and flossing teeth and the spaces between teeth are well known in the prior art. For example, flossing devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,678,578, 6,065,479, 6,076,535, 6,079,424, 6,092,536, 6,155,274, 6,253,774, 6,363,949, and 6,382,219. It is also known in the art to combine a brush or bristle assembly with a flossing assembly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,676,167 and 6,095,157 and further to provide a powered brush that both flosses and brushes at the same time as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,380. Finally, teeth brushing devices for mechanically moving the bristles and/or the brush assembly are known in the prior art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,604,735 and 5,974,615.
As can be seen, there is a need for a multifunction dental cleaning device capable of flossing and brushing teeth and the spaces between teeth from a variety of angles and directions.